The renewable energy business has done a remarkable job at positioning itself in the public psyche as the ‘it girl’ of our era. Just about everyone – politicians, celebrities, major industries – likes to be seen as pro-renewable.

But if renewable energy is the girl that everyone wants to be photographed near, energy efficiency is her nerdy tag-along little brother. Ever notice how when politicians say they support renewable energy they quickly throw in the words “and energy efficiency” as if it were a babysitting obligation?

Or consider the excitement with which homeowners talk about their recently installed rooftop solar panels. Does anyone wax on like that about new wall insulation? Let’s be honest, renewable energy is colorful, green to be exact. Energy efficiency, well, it’s “smart” energy.

What’s it going to take for energy efficiency to shed its big glasses and pencil pocket protector?

“Let’s face it; we’re selling to the lunatic fringe of green, the lunatic fringe of efficiency. The market is this small strata right now. And of course we want to grow the market outside of the small strata,” said Paul Holland of Foundation Capital, when he spoke recently at the ACI Home Energy Summit in San Francisco, Calif. “We need less kumbaya in this industry and less expectation. We preach to each other, when we really need to become better marketers.”

Speaking at the same conference, Sheeraz Hiji, CEO of Cleantech Group, pointed out that part of the problem is dollars and cents. The solar industry wisely has figured out how to make it very easy for homeowners to finance solar panels on homes. The energy efficiency industry has not been as successful.

“The key of unlocking the industry is in the financing. Consumers don’t care that much. You have to lower the transaction cost. Some of the companies in the solar side have done this very well. They’ve made it very easy. If anyone is doing that in the home energy retrofit industry, they need to stand up on the table and scream about it,” Hiji said. (Please feel free to do your screaming in the comments section of this blog.)

It’s not that energy efficiency doesn’t have its bragging rights; it’s just not so good – yet – about getting them out. But at the conference, attended by 2,000 people, speakers offered some good makeover material.

For example, Gavin Newsom, California’s Lieutenant Governor, provided the following about investing in various energy resources.

$1 billion in coal = 870 jobs.

$1 billion in a nuclear plant = 1,500 jobs

$1 billion in solar energy= 1,900 jobs

$1 billion in wind energy= 3,300 jobs

$1 billion in energy efficiency retrofits =7,000 jobs.

“Energy efficiency is a no brainer,” Newsom said. “We need to start talking about it more.”

Steve Cowell, chairman and CEO of Conservation Services Group, noted that in 2003 to 2005, energy costs accounted for 3.5% of US median household income in the United States and by 2007 to 2008 it had risen to 8.5%. What does that mean to the average household? A 12% drop in pre-tax income and 15% post tax. You took a pay cut without knowing it. By using less energy you can get some of your paycheck back.

Related articles

In this post we examine the economics of solar + storage. Specifically, we calculate the value of solar and storage for two commercial buildings in each of three markets: California, New York, and Hawaii. We find solar and storage are strongly synergistic in all three markets.
The NPVs of solar + storage investments are greater than the sum of the NPVs of solar investments and storage investments alone because, among other reasons:
The combination allows for much larger demand charge reductions than either...

Massachusetts is known for being the landing place of the Mayflower, home to the first subway, and birthplace of four presidents. But one thing residents may not be aware of is that their home state was ranked sixth nationally for producing solar energy in 2016.
Massachusetts has a proud history of investment in renewable energy and the state now has roughly 15,095 people working within the solar industry. Companies in the Massachusetts solar market not only install solar arrays for residential areas and businesse...

When Robert Kennedy Jr. moved to his Malibu, California home he wanted to put solar panels on his roof as quickly as possible.
“We have a big household – we have seven children. My kids always have friends here so there is a lot going on at this house and there is substantial energy used.”
There were several reasons he wanted to go solar.
“You’re doing something for your country, you are doing something for your children and you’re doing something for yourself because...

The numbers stack up nicely: Three Staten Island homes, three rooftops, 62 solar panels and 19,236kW of projected energy generated each year. All three newly-solar-powered homes are neighbors, and they all switched to solar power with NRG Home Solar on the same day.
But what do the numbers really mean, and how do they translate into energy savings? We’re glad you asked. (Even though—technically—we’re the ones that asked.)
In just one day the three solar installations could generate:
Enoug...

Solar is on the rise in the United States. As of March 2016, Solar Energy Industries Association released figures showing the top states for solar power. Here are a few states that are shining bright when it comes to solar.
New York
New York has tremendous solar potential and has regularly been in the top 10 list of U.S. solar states. The Empire State has installed 638 MW of solar capacity, which is enough to power 108,000 homes. New York is also fourth place for solar job creation, with 8,250 employees in the...

Customer comments

No comments were found for Energy efficiency, the Nerd. Be the first to comment!